Steam engine



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STEAM ENGINE. No. 331,442. Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

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STEAM ENGINE. No. 331,442 Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

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STEAM ENGINE.

No. 331,442. Patented Dec. 1,1885.

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ALPI-IONSE REIS, OF ANIVVERP, BELGIUM.

STEAIVPENGINE.

PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3315142, dated December 1, 1885.

Application filed July 8, 1885. Serial No. 170,947. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPHONSE Rlns, a subject of the King of Belgium, and residing at Antwerp, in Belgium, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the same, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a steam-engine containing my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, partlyin section, showing the interior arrangement of one of the cylinders, the peculiar valve employed, the pump, and also the refrigerator. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of said engine. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the two cylinders and the valve aforesaid, and Figs. 5 to 12, inclusive, are detail views of the said valve, Figs. 5, 6, and 8 being elevations thereof, Fig. 9 a plan view, Figs. 7 and 11 right and left longitudinal vertical sections, and Figs. 10 and 12 vertical cross-sections on the lines m n and o p of Fig. 9, respectively.

My invention has for its object the utilization of the residual pressure of the exhauststeam and the saving of a portion of the heat therein remaining by returning it to the cylinder after passing it through a cooling-chamher to reduce its temperature.

Thisinvention is based on the principlethat for a given weight of steam there is a fixed ratio between the force exerted by such steam on its egress from the generator under pressure and the space that it occupies at that time and between the effort necessary to effect the return of the same steam to the generator and the space it occupies at the time of such return. The desired result I accomplish by means, first, of a condenser for reducing the volume of the steam after it has done its work to a suitable temperature, and, second, of a pump employed to force said steam so reduced to re-enter the generator, actuated by a portion of the force exerted by the steam on its egress from the generator.

I have shown my invention as applied to a horizontal steam-engine with two cylinders; but it can be equally well applied to other types of steam-engines.

Ais the small cylinder,working under high ,ator R, with a circulation of water.

pressure transmitted directly from the generator, and B the large cylinder, actuated bythe force of the steam exhausted from cylinder A. Immediately behind these cylinders is placed the refrigerator R, consisting of a tank having openings above and below for the admission and exit of air, and in which is inclosed the coils of the condensing-tubes, which are shown arranged in groups of five each. The steam issuing from cylinder 13 passes into and through the tubes of the refrigerator R,where it is cooled to a temperature of about 100, which corresponds to the condition of most complete saturation possible to be given to steam without restoring it to a liquid state.

The temperature to which the steam is to be reduced is a fundamental point, as every degree of reduction in temperature lessens the force required to return the steam to the generator, and thus promotes economy, which cannot, however, be continued below 100, as the steam would then be converted into water and the peculiar benefit of my invention be lost.

In case the exterior air circulating through the refrigerator is not cool enough to reduce the steam to the desired temperature, this may be facilitated by increasing the tubular surface within the refrigerator, or by surrounding the tube K, leading to the refriger- From the refrigerator R the steam passes to pump D, and is thereby forced back to the "enerator, (see arrow, Fig. 4,) being controlled in its passage by a valve, F, which is operated by a valve-stem, t, connected at s to a lever, s g, which is pivoted to the frame at 1-, and connected at q to cross-head P, which is actuated by the eccentric H and its connecting-rod, driven by the revolution of the main crankshaft of the engine. Said valve F governs the inlet and exhaust passages of said pump D, the piston of which is connected to the main cross head L of the engine and is actuated thereby. The said crosshead P is also connected to and actuates the valve-stem N of the valve E, which establishes and controls communication between the boiler, cylinder A, cylinder B, and refrigerator It, as hereinafter described. This valve E has therefore a triple effect, and

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enables me to more conveniently accomplish my purpose than would three separate valves, one governing each of said channels of communication. It is composed of a chamber,G-, having a cover, G, side walls, and a valve proper, T. The interior side walls of the valve are preferably in the form of aV, so as to present in a reduced space two large distinct surfaces. Direct communication is had between the steamgenerator (not shown) and the chamber G through port J, located in the cover G, which is preferably convexly curved, as shown. In each of the lateral walls of the chamber G are two, preferably rectangular, ports, 0 and O, communicating with the respective ends of cylinder A, and O and G, communicating with the respective ends of cylinder B, and at the lower part of said chamber are two ports, M and M, both communicating by a branched pipe, K,with the refrigerator R. Said ports 0 O C O re- .spectively open into chambers or passages cccc, formed in the side walls of chamber G, and extending laterally therein, 0 and 0 for about three times the width of port 0, and c and c for about five times the width of 0, though this may be changed by altering the relative positions of those ports and others to be presently mentioned, or by altering the stroke of the valve. Interiorly these chambers have each two ports, 1 and 2, 2 and 1 3 and 4, and 3 and 4, respectively, and passages 5 and 5 are also formed in one of said side walls, one com-' municating with port M and the other with port M. The valve-slide T, which is connected at the upper part to valve-stem N, has in one branch of the V two passages, I and 1, giving direct passage to the steam entering G through J. Extending inward from the other branch of the V, and toward the respective ends of T, are two chambers. Y and Y, the side walls of those portions of the slide inclosed thereby being preferably entirely cut away. Said chambers are so placed that at the end of the downward stroke Yregisters with both 4 and 5 and Y with 4, and at the end of the backward stroke Y registers with both 4 and 5 and Y registers with 4. Finally, in the central part of T, between the two branches of the V laterally and the chambers Y and Y and passages I and I longitudinally, is formed a central chamber, Z, having passages II, II, III, and III in its walls,which respectively register alternately with passages 1 and 2, 2 and 1, 4 and 3, and 3 and 4. The engine being in operation and supplied with steam through port J, the valve being in the position shown in the various figures, I registering with 1, II with 2, III with 3, Y with 4 and 5, and Ywith 4, steam entering chamber Y through J passes at once through passages I and 1, chamber 0, and port 0 to the upper end of cylinder A, and forces the piston therein downward. The partially expanded steam, at this moment on the reverse side of the piston, passes to port 0, chamber 0, passages 2 and II, chamber Z, passages III and 3, cham her 0, port 0, and the upper end of the large cylinder B, where its further expansion forces downward the piston of that cylinder and the fully-expanded steam upon the reverse side thereof is driven out through port 0 to chamber 0', thence through passage 4 to chamber Y, and thence by passage 5, port M, and pipe Kto the refrigerator B, the passages I, II, and III, and 1, 2, 3, and 5' being meanwhile closed. The pistons and their rods having, by the act-ion of the steam thus admitted, drawn downward the cross-head L connected to them, thereby causing a partial revolution of the crankshaft and a corr esponding motion of the eccentric H and its rod, the cross-head P is thereby drawn backward, carrying with it the valve-stem N and its connected slide T, which, as will be readily seen, closes the passages I, II, III, and 1, 2, 3, and 5, and opens I311, III, and l, 2, 3, and 5,caus1ng I to register with-1 II with 2, III with 3, Y with 4 and 5, and Y with 4. The course of the steam from chamber G is then highpressure steam through passages I and 1, chamber 0, port 0, to the lower end of cylinder A, partially-expanded steam from the upper end of A through port 0, chamber 0, passages 2 and II, chamber Z, passages III and 3, chamber 0, and port 0 to the lower end of cylinder B, and fully-expanded steam from the upper end of B through port 0, chamber 0, passage 4, chamber Y, passage 5, port M, and pipe K to the refrigerator R. The exhaust-steam is led into the refrigerator at each stroke,and that becoming full, said steam having been reduced in temperature, passes on by pipe K to pump D, and is by said pump forced back to the generator through pipe F, the valve F governing its passage and acting as the valve to said pump D.

As will be readily seen, I am thus enabled to economize in the cost of running the engine by so reducing the temperature, and consequently the volume of the steam as it passes through the refrigerator R, that a very little force is required to return it to the generator, while at the same time I save the residual heat therein by not continuing the reduction of temperature to a point which will cause liquefaction.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a steam-engine having a small cylinder employing high-pressure steam and a large cylinder employing lowpressure steam, with a refrigerator for reducing the temperature of the expanded steam, and avalve connected with the steam-supply and the small cylinder, and controlling the passage of the steam to the latter, a valve connected with and controlling the passage of steam from the small to the large cylinder, a valve connected with and controlling the passage of steam from the large cylinder to the refrigerator, a pump for forcing the cooled steam entering it from the refrigerator back to the generatona valve connected with the refrigerator and pump and controlling the passage of steam from the former to the latter, and a valve connected with the pump and the steam-generator and controlling the passage of steam from the former to the latter, all as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with a steamengine, a

1 steam-generator, and a refrigerator, of the valve E, in the form of a V, having a slide provided with a central chamber, Z, two lateral chambers, Y and Y, and six independent openings, I, II, III, I, II, and III, in its side walls, a cover, G, having the port J, a chamber, G, the side walls of which are provided with chambers 0, 0, c, and 0', opening outward, respectively, into ports 0, G, G, and O, and provided internally, respectively, with open ings 1 and 2, 2 and 1, 3 and 4c, and 4 and 3, the ports M and M, and passages 5 and 5, and connected, as described, with the steamgenerator, the small cylinder A of the steamengine, the large cylinder B of the steamengine,and a refrigerator, R, whereby said single valve controls the passage of steam from the generator to cylinder A, thence to cylinder B, and thence to the refrigerator 18, all as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALPHONSE REIS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM WESTLAKE, LIs ERAERS. 

